Improvement in ironing-machines



-C. C. THOMAS.

Improvement in- Ironing Tables.

Patented Jan; 9, 1872.

Witutam:

CHARLES C. THOMAS, OF NATOHEZ, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN IRONING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,680, dated January 9, 1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Ironing Machines, invented by CHARLES C. THOMAS, of Natchez, in the coun' ty of Adams and State of Mississippi.

Figure l is a side view of my improved machine, partly in section through the furnace. Figure 2 is a top view of the same. 3 is a detail view of the hook or handle for moving the furnace. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken through the line :20 as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved machine for ironing clothes, and other cloths, which shall be simple in construction, convenient in use, and eifective in operation; and it consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the machine as hereinafter more fully described.

A represents the table or bed-plate of the machine, which is supported by legs B of such a length as to raise the machine to a convenient height, and which may be secured to the floor to hold the machine firmly in place while being used. 0 is a vertical shaft, the lower end of which has a round tenon formed upon it which enters around hole or socket formed in the rear part of the table A, and which is secured in place and at the same time allowed to turn freely by a handscrew, I), which passes in through a nut attached to the side edge of the table A, and its forward end enters a groove formed upon the tenon or standard of the shaft U, as shown by dotted lines in Fig l. The upper end of the standard 0 is slotted to receive the gearwheel E, the journals of which revolve in bearings in the slotted upper ends of the said standard 0. To one of the journals of the gear-wheel E is attached the crank F, by which the machine is operated. G are two arms, the lower ends of which are attached to or formed upon the standard (J at or near the lower end of the slot in said standard. The arms G are arranged upon opposite sides of the standard 0, are curved upward, and have.

, sides, the upper sides of which serve as ways to the small friction-rollers I pivoted in the upper parts of the slots in the arms G, the lower side of the bar 11 or its flanges resting upon the bottoms of the slots in the arms G or upon friction-rollers or wheels pivoted in the lower part of said slots. This construction holds the rack-bar H steadily in a horizontal position both when at work and when swinging around to carry the smoothing iron back and forth between the furnace and ironing-table. Upon the forward end of the rack-bar H is formed a socket, h, to receive the handle of the smoothing-iron. The interior or cavity of the socket may be made round, wedge-shaped, or of such other form as will enable the bar to support the smoothing-iron when carrying it back and forth between the furnace and ironing-table. The handle of the smoothing-iron J should be made of such a form as to fit into the socket h, and is secured in place while said iron is being moved back and forth upon the ironingtahle by a spring-catch, K, attached to said socket h, and which may be constructed in any suitable manner, and which should be so constructed as to operate automatically as the socket h is pushed forward upon the handle of the smoothingiron J. L is the table upon which the articles are placed to be ironed, and to the lower side of which are attached guidepins M, the lower ends of which enter guideholes in the table Ato cause the ironing-table L to move up and down vertically. The table L is held up against the smoothing or sad-iron J by coiled springs N placed around the guidepins M with their upperends resting against the under side of the ironing-table L, and their lower ends resting against the upper side of the table A. To the lower end of the central guidepin M, which is made sufficiently long to project below the table A, is pivoted the end of the short arm of a lever, 0, which is pivoted to a short stud or other support attached to the under side of the table A, and to the end of its long arm is pivoted the end of the short arm of the lever P, which is pivoted to a longer stud attached to the under side of the said table A. To the end of the long arm of the lever P is pivoted the upper end of a connecting-rod, Q, the lower end of which is pivoted to thetreadle or foot-lever B. By this arrangement by pressing down upon the treadle B the ironing-table L will be drawn down from the sad-iron J to allow the clothes to be shifted or the said sad-iron to be conveniently swung from or upon the said ironing-table. S is a furnace for heating the sad-irons, and which should be provided with a grate ash-pan in the ordinary manner. The furnace is provided with a cover, T, in which are formed several holes of the same shape as and a little smaller than the sad-irons used. The cover T is provided with a guide, U, in front of each hole, to guide the said sadirons into proper positions over the said holes when pushed upon the said cover by the rackbar H. V are brackets attached to or placed in sockets attached to the legs B or end of the table A. W is a rack or frame attached to the brackets V, and further supported by bracerods or legs X. The frame W is provided with rollers Y upon which the furnace S rests, and which enable the said furnace to be easily moved back and forth to bring any desired hole in the cover T directly in line with the rack-bar H, to enable the raclcbar H to re move the sad-irons from and replace them upon said cover when required. To one end of the furnace S is attached an eye, S,to receive the hook of the handle 2 to en able the said furnace to be conveniently moved back and forth, as required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the guide-pins M, springs N, levers O P, connecting-rod Q, and treadle or foot-lever R, with the ironing-table L, and table or bed-plate A, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the vertical shaft G, gear-wheels E,arms G, friction-wheels I, rackbar H, and socket h prox ided with a springcatch, K, to receive and operate a sad-iron, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

The combination of the rack or frame V W X Y, with the table A that supports the other parts of the ironing-machine to receive and support the furnace S, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The cover T, provided with holes of the same shape as the sad-irons, and with guides U, in combination with the furnace S, and with the operating parts of the machine, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

CHARLES C. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

ALLIsoN H. FOSTER, JOHN MACPHERSON. 

